You dream of becoming a pilot and hesitate to take the plunge? However, as for many leisure activities, it is possible to become a professional pilot and get the famous sesame: the instructor's license! We deliver you all the steps to get there.
The training step by step
The training takes place in several cycles that you can carry out according to your knowledge and experience.
For beginners, first step with the initial Brevet which takes place between 12 and 20 days. This certificate allows you to be "able to fly in calm conditions on a known site". To resume, it allows you to fly alone on the sites practiced during your training and thus to gain confidence in yourself progressively and to acquire the bases of practical and theoretical piloting. A good way to get your foot in the stirrup!
Then comes cycle 2, for the most seasoned pilots who have already practiced a few hours of flight. This cycle will allow you to improve your flying techniques, fly over new sites and work on your ascent flying techniques. After this training, which lasts between 5 and 10 days depending on the candidates, the pilot's certificate is delivered to you. This allows you to pass the confirmed pilot's license, and to integrate the federal training. This level certifies that you are able to fly on all types of sites and in all types of aerological conditions.
It is also the occasion to carry out training courses of SIV (simulation of incidents of flight) and to refine your techniques of piloting, (to face partial closures, techniques of fast descent, start of spins etc).
Finally, last step: the confirmed pilot's license. For this one, the duration of training is very variable and really depends on the candidates.
No stress, everyone goes at his own pace. Once the cycle is over, you will be able to fly alone, you will master takeoff and landing, you will be able to do cross country and feel confident on other sites than the one next to you! You can also join a federal training and compete if you want to show what you are capable of, or take the diploma of "federal tandem pilot" at first, and why consider teaching at the federal level, there you will still have to follow and pass some additional exams, mainly on your pedagogical skills !
If you still don't have enough of them, you will have to leave the federal curriculum and join the State Diploma (DE) program, which is a professional program, the only diploma offering the possibility to get paid for teaching and commercial tandem flights.
What happens next ?
You are the holder of the famous sesame. Enough to take off in a tandem paraglider over Lake Annecy and share your passion with paragliding enthusiasts! And as a professional paraglider pilot, you will be able to accompany beginners during their baptisms because now you have changed your position on the tandem, it is you who leads the flight!